Reader reviews

• D o

  (2/5)

  Overly emotive style of narration takes away from the content
• Brandi Huffer

  (5/5)

  Fantastic! This book went straight for my soul. I will buying a copy for my library.
• Amoode Academy

  (5/5)

  4 روش اکستنشن مو در اصفهان ؟ | بهترین آموزشگاه آرایشگری در اصفهان آموده amoode
  
  
• wagner5sarah35

  (4/5)

  Just when I think I know most of the historical figures who took part in the French Revolution, there's a novel like that casts light on another, or this case, on six. I was happy to encounter women I hadn't known of previously and women whose perspective I had rarely encountered in accounts of the French Revolution. I found the novel overall compelling and would highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction.
• mishker-1

  (4/5)

  The French Revolution was a time of immense change, violence and uncertainty for everyone in the country.  The women of France eagerly became caught up in the Revolution hoping for change, for rights and for freedom.  Many of these women died for their part in the revolution and their beliefs that women should have the same rights as men.  Through the eyes of six amazing authors, six equally stunning and brave women of the French Revolution come alive: Sophie de Grouchy, Louise Audu, Elisabeth Philippine Marie Helene de France, Manon Roland, Charlotte Corday and Emilie de Sainte-Amaranthe.Through their tragedies and triumphs, these women weaved in and out of one another's lives.  While each section of the book is written through just one woman's eyes, the others are present.  Each woman's perspective moved farther in time through the Revolution.  I love that the focus was not on the intense politics of the Revolution or what the men were fighting for, but the beliefs of each woman and how she set about to accomplish her task. Sophie de Grouchy used her political fervor to educate and empower other women under the guise of entertainment.  Louise Audu, a feisty fruit seller and student of Sophie bands with other women to storm the Bastille. Elisabeth of France takes a stance to protect her family and realize just what her family is being killed for.  Manon Roland takes up the pen as her weapon using the endurance and graciousness as women for strength. Charlotte Corday is convinced that murdering a man that slings slander and incites violence and hatred is a step towards peace.  Emile de Sainte-Amaranthe uses her beauty to keep those who control France's fate under her influence.  Each woman's emotions, desires, convictions and bravery are placed in the forefront of the writing. While their beliefs may not have always aligned, the women's power of conviction shone through.This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
• susan0316

  (4/5)

  This new historical fiction novel is an interconnected group of short stories by six of the top historical fiction writers today. It's about six different women and their part in the French Revolution. I think that this is the first book that I've read about this time period and it was very informative. Each author wrote about a woman who had a part in the revolution and they were all from different levels of society but they all had one thing in common - their goal to give women more freedom and a stronger part of the governing of France.This was an excellent book about a time period in history that isn't talked about or even written about much. The authors presented a compelling story of six women who even though they were on different sides of the conflict were interconnected by their goals to give more freedom to women - a fight that continues to the present day.Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
• Alix Bird

  (5/5)

  This is a wonderful book! It kept my interest and I loved the flow of the novel.
• ang709

  (5/5)

  1 person found this helpful

  Given the list of authors involved in writing this novel, I was certain I'd enjoy it, but still it surprised me. I hadn't expected that a collaboration among so many different authors could come together as such a perfect, cohesive whole.There are six parts, each focusing on a different woman (though one part centers on two women). The women are from diverse backgrounds, ranging from a poor fruit seller to a princess. Each character tells her story in first person, and with a different author at the helm of each of these stories, every character has a her own distinct voice. Every one of these six stories feels as if it could stand on its own, but combined, they tell one complete, unforgettable story. The parts are arranged in chronological order with the first set before the Revolution and the last set during the Terror. Though each part centers on one main character, each part has appearances by most of the other women too. That way, once a characters section has wrapped up, her story may continue. And if the character hasn't been featured yet, the reader has already gotten to know her. This criss crossing of characters was perfectly done and made for a solid, unified whole.I definitely found some characters more relatable than others, but there was more to relate to here than the women. There were themes that are very relevant today.I also appreciated the range of emotion in this book. Of course there was horror, but there was also tenderness and love.I learned a lot reading this, and I appreciated the authors' notes at the end.I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys historical fiction or even books about strong women.I was fortunate enough to have an ARC to base this review on, but I was so impressed by this novel that I ordered a finished copy.

  1 person found this helpful

• bookscookslooks

  (5/5)

  1 person found this helpful

  the French Revolution brings to mind many things but probably most of all the guillotine. It was a time of terror and death brought on by system of a rich ruling elite existing in somewhat of a vacuum regarding the conditions of the poor. Voices of change rose and soon that change was being implemented but not quite in an orderly way, nor in a way that was fair or equitable to any of the classes. Fear, rumor, hate and divisiveness became the new normal. Most of the names we remember from this time are those of men; Robespierre, Marat, Louis XVI. But there were many strong women who also played large roles in the destruction of the monarchy and the rise of the Republic.Ribbons of Scarlet tells the story of the Revolution through the voices of 6 of these women. They come from all levels of French society from a fruit seller barely able to find enough to feed herself to the sister of the King. This assures that both sides of the story are told.The book is broken into sections for each woman; The Philospher, The Revolutionary, The Princess, The Politician, The Assassin and The Beauty. Each section tells the tale of of the woman and advances the story. It is all done very fluidly and if one didn’t know there were 6 authors one would not be able to tell. Everything just flows from the retelling of the history to the integration of the women’s stories.I must admit I was surprised to learn of all of these strong and intelligent women who were fighting so hard for human rights at this point in history. Oftentimes women’s stories are lost to history, particularly in times of war. Or their stories are perverted to suit the winner’s version for as we all know history is written by the victor. We now know that Marie Antoinette was not as awful as she was purported to be.I was enthralled from the first pages of this novel. It’s a period of history I know fairly well for it’s one I’ve studied in college and have read about quite a bit since. To learn so much new in one book was a delight. The recent trend for books to focus on women in history has been an utter delight for this reader of historical fiction. I hope it continues for it brings to light the impact that simple women working together can have on history. Yes, I know that the King’s sister can hardly be considered “simple” but many woman who cause great change are often ignored for the actions of men. It’s enlightening to return to a familiar time and see it again through female eyes who helped shaped it – for better or worse.

  1 person found this helpful

• celticlady53

  (5/5)

  1 person found this helpful

  What is Ribbons of Scarlet about? It is about empowering women. From royalty to fruit sellers the reader learns about six different women with different lives with the same goal. It is the eighteenth century where women have no place in politics, but these women put themselves right in the middle of the French Revolution. We have The Philosopher by Stephanie Dray; Sophie de Grouchy Condorcet (Grouchette) was a prominent salon hostess from 1789 to the Reign of Terror. She was well-connected and influential before, during, and after the French Revolution. Her salon became a meeting place for those opposed to the autocratic regime and she survived the Revolution, publishing her husband's works.The Revolutionary by Heather Webb takes on Louise "Reine" Audu, a fruitseller who participated in the French Revolution. She along with others led the Women's March on Versailles. The march started by women who were upset about the high price and scarcity of bread. She was part of the delegation that met with the King but was later arrested and jailed. Her stay ended with her going "insane".Then we have The Princess by Sophie Perinot. Madame Élisabeth was a French princess and the youngest sibling of King Louis XVI. She stayed with the royal family when they fled Paris during the Revolution. She had the ear of the King and often tried to advise him. As a result of being the sister of the King, she was executed.The Politician by Kate Quinn features Manon (Madame) Roland who was a French revolutionary, salonnière, and writer. Along with her husband, Jean-Marie Roland de la Platière were both supporters of the French Revolution. They were involved in the Girondist faction but fell out of favor during the Reign of Terror and was executed on the guillotine. The Assassin by E.Knight has Marie-Anne Charlotte de Corday d'Armont, also known as Charlotte Corday was another figure in the French Revolution. Jean-Paul Marat was a member of the Jacobin faction who exerted power via his newspaper. Charlotte felt that his death would save the people of Paris. She did kill him and was executed for her crime.Lastly, The Beauty by Laura Kamoie protagonist is Charlotte-Rose-Émilie Davasse de Saint-Amarand who was the daughter of a courtesan becomes a heroine when she takes on Robespierre. Let's just say that I love any and all stories by these talented authors. How they could take six powerful French women and combine their stories into one fantastic novel beats me but they did. I knew about the French Revolution, King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette but nothing about any of the heroines in the book. I was sad for the women who were executed and in such an inhumane way but I was happy that they were an important part of the history of France. Each of these authors is talented in their own right but writing together, very powerful! Well researched and put together, one of my favorite books of the year!

  1 person found this helpful

• brokenteepee

  (5/5)

  1 person found this helpful

  the French Revolution brings to mind many things but probably most of all the guillotine. It was a time of terror and death brought on by system of a rich ruling elite existing in somewhat of a vacuum regarding the conditions of the poor. Voices of change rose and soon that change was being implemented but not quite in an orderly way, nor in a way that was fair or equitable to any of the classes. Fear, rumor, hate and divisiveness became the new normal. Most of the names we remember from this time are those of men; Robespierre, Marat, Louis XVI. But there were many strong women who also played large roles in the destruction of the monarchy and the rise of the Republic.Ribbons of Scarlet tells the story of the Revolution through the voices of 6 of these women. They come from all levels of French society from a fruit seller barely able to find enough to feed herself to the sister of the King. This assures that both sides of the story are told.The book is broken into sections for each woman; The Philospher, The Revolutionary, The Princess, The Politician, The Assassin and The Beauty. Each section tells the tale of of the woman and advances the story. It is all done very fluidly and if one didn’t know there were 6 authors one would not be able to tell. Everything just flows from the retelling of the history to the integration of the women’s stories.I must admit I was surprised to learn of all of these strong and intelligent women who were fighting so hard for human rights at this point in history. Oftentimes women’s stories are lost to history, particularly in times of war. Or their stories are perverted to suit the winner’s version for as we all know history is written by the victor. We now know that Marie Antoinette was not as awful as she was purported to be.I was enthralled from the first pages of this novel. It’s a period of history I know fairly well for it’s one I’ve studied in college and have read about quite a bit since. To learn so much new in one book was a delight. The recent trend for books to focus on women in history has been an utter delight for this reader of historical fiction. I hope it continues for it brings to light the impact that simple women working together can have on history. Yes, I know that the King’s sister can hardly be considered “simple” but many woman who cause great change are often ignored for the actions of men. It’s enlightening to return to a familiar time and see it again through female eyes who helped shaped it – for better or worse.

  1 person found this helpful

• bettytaylor56

  (4/5)

  My Review:I am in awe of the amount of research these authors had to do for this book. Each author took a different female character and wrote a chapter that centered on that character. However, the characters also had interactions with each other so the authors had to interweave those encounters. Also, keep in mind that each of these characters was a real person. That makes the book even more remarkable.The book is extremely well written – but, it just did not grab me. With each chapter changing to a different character I could not find that connection with any one of them that I need to really enjoy a book. I am also not overly interested in this period of history. I was hoping the book would generate an interest within me but it did not. As for my rating, I feel I need to rate it primarily on the writing itself and not on my enjoyment. For technique and the writing itself I give it four stars. For my enjoyment it would be three stars. (I did like the character Sophie.)